Pope Leo XIV Reaffirms Church's Anti-Abortion Stance in Speech to Spanish Lawmakers

Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion during a speech to Spain's Congress of Deputies on Monday, stressing that human life must be recognised and protected from conception to its natural end.

Addressing Spanish lawmakers, the pontiff questioned whether any community could be considered fully just if it overlooks the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those suffering in silence, or people entirely dependent on others' care. He described this protection as a civilisational benchmark, not merely a religious or partisan issue, and insisted that human dignity underpins any legal order, predating shifting social consensuses or political majorities. "When this conviction fades, the most vulnerable become the first victims, and the law loses its deepest purpose: to serve and safeguard every person," he stated.

The remarks carry particular weight in Andorra, one of Europe's few countries where abortion remains penalised and the Bishop of Urgell serves as co-prince. They come a week after Ladislau Baró, the minister for Institutional Relations, confirmed that a draft text to decriminalise women in abortion cases has been finalised both technically and conceptually. Baró emphasised that the government will not act unilaterally while ongoing talks with the Holy See continue, linking any reform to preserving the country's institutional stability. He declined to set a firm timeline for advancing the proposal but said it must be resolved before the current legislative term ends.

Beyond abortion, Leo XIV highlighted migration as a tragic drama, urging safe legal pathways, respectful welcome policies, and measures to enable dignified living conditions in migrants' countries of origin. He rejected discrimination based on national, ethnic, religious or linguistic grounds as a grave violation of universal human dignity.

The pope also addressed the family as humanity's first school and the natural foundation of society, touched on international tensions and rearmament, and called for ethical oversight of military artificial intelligence. He closed by advocating dialogue amid societal polarisation. This marked the first time a pontiff has spoken to Spain's parliament.